rules reform

JEN11083 S.L.C.
S. RES. ll
112TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
To improve the debate and consideration of legislative matters and
nominations in the Senate.
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
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Mr. UDALL of New Mexico (for himself, Mr. HARKIN, Mr. MERKLEY, Mr.
DURBIN, Ms. KLOBUCHAR, Mr. BROWN of Ohio, Mr. BEGICH, Mr.
BLUMENTHAL, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, and Mrs. SHAHEEN) submitted the fol-
lowing resolution; which was referred to the Committee on
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RESOLUTION
To improve the debate and consideration of legislative
matters and nominations in the Senate.
1 Resolved,
2 SECTION 1. DEBATE ON MOTIONS TO PROCEED.
3 Rule VIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is
4 amended by striking paragraph 2 and inserting the fol-
5 lowing:
6 ‘‘2. Debate on a motion to proceed to the consider-
7 ation of any matter, and any debatable motion or appeal
8 in connection therewith, shall be limited to not more than
9 2 hours, to be equally divided between, and controlled by,
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1 the majority leader and the minority leader or their des-
2 ignees except for a motion to go into executive session to
3 consider a specified item of executive business and a mo-
4 tion to proceed to consider any privileged matter, which
5 shall not be debatable.’’.
6 SEC. 2. ELIMINATING SECRET HOLDS.
7 Rule VIII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is
8 amended by inserting at the end the following:
9 ‘‘3. No Senator may object on behalf of another Sen-
10 ator without disclosing the name of that Senator.’’.
11 SEC. 3. RIGHT TO OFFER AMENDMENTS.
12 Paragraph 2 of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of
13 the Senate is amended by inserting at the end the fol-
14 lowing:
15 ‘‘After debate has concluded under this paragraph
16 but prior to final disposition of the pending matter, the
17 Majority Leader and the Minority Leader may each offer
18 not to exceed 3 amendments identified as leadership
19 amendments if they have been timely filed under this para-
20 graph and are germane to the matter being amended. De-
21 bate on a leadership amendment shall be limited to 1 hour
22 equally divided. A leadership amendment may not be di-
23 vided.’’.
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1 SEC. 4. EXTENDED DEBATE.
2 Paragraph 2 of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of
3 the Senate is amended—
4 (1) by striking the second undesignated para-
5 graph and inserting the following:
6 ‘‘ ‘Is it the sense of the Senate that the debate
7 shall be brought to a close?’ And if that question
8 shall be decided in the affirmative by three-fifths of
9 the Senators duly chosen and sworn — except on a
10 measure or motion to amend the Senate rules, in
11 which case the necessary affirmative vote shall be
12 two-thirds of the Senators present and voting —
13 then cloture has been invoked. If that question shall
14 be decided in the negative the Senate shall enter a
15 period of continuous debate on the measure, motion,
16 or other matter pending before the Senate, or the
17 unfinished business. A period of continuous debate
18 shall continue as long as the subject of the cloture
19 vote is the pending business. During a period of con-
20 tinuous debate, if a Senator seeks recognition to
21 speak, that Senator shall be recognized and the Pre-
22 siding Officer shall not entertain any motion or
23 quorum calls. If during a period of continuous de-
24 bate, no Senator seeks recognition, then the Pre-
25 siding Officer shall note that the period of contin-
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1 uous debate has ended and cloture shall be consid-
2 ered invoked.’’; and
3 (2) in the last undesignated paragraph by in-
4 serting ‘‘or during a period of continuous debate’’
5 after ‘‘is invoked’’.
6 SEC. 5. POST CLOTURE DEBATE ON NOMINATIONS.
7 The second undesignated paragraph of paragraph 2
8 of rule XXII of the Standing Rules of the Senate is
9 amended by inserting at the end the following: ‘‘If the
10 matter on which cloture is invoked is a nomination, the
11 period of time for debate shall be 2 hours.’’.